This was not an enjoyable movie to watch. It's BASED on the true story of Barbara Graham, accused of murdering an elderly woman during a botched home invasion robbery attempt. But while the movie opens with a title screen stating its based on a "FACTUAL story gathered from newspaper reports, interviews..etc" - let me warn you, what you are presented is far from objective truth.
It bothers me that the film attempts to paint Ms. Graham as innocent - when all the facts I looked up on the case point to her guilt. It appears the movie may be trying to change the slant of the film in order to create sympathy for what was a despicable woman - in order to crucify the death penalty instead. So it isn't really Graham who is on trial, but the death penalty. Hollywood is quite good at promoting its own agenda at the expense of truth. I wonder how the murder victim's family felt after this film was released.
While I do hate this film's twisting of the facts, I do think Hayward gives a fine performance. All of her co-conspirators were adequately cast as well. I did find the musical score rather annoying. It's a kind of jazzy, bongo, neurotic mess. I guess it was used to help heighten the tension and discomfort of the audience - but I just found it annoying.
But regardless of what I saw of the technical merits or shortcomings of the film, I can't overlook the bottom line that the writers, director and producers decided to take the side of a despicable woman and try to make her look innocent - all for their own agenda of painting the death penalty as the true villain. I'm sorry, but the death penalty isn't who killed the poor widow Monohan.
It bothers me that the film attempts to paint Ms. Graham as innocent - when all the facts I looked up on the case point to her guilt. It appears the movie may be trying to change the slant of the film in order to create sympathy for what was a despicable woman - in order to crucify the death penalty instead. So it isn't really Graham who is on trial, but the death penalty. Hollywood is quite good at promoting its own agenda at the expense of truth. I wonder how the murder victim's family felt after this film was released.
While I do hate this film's twisting of the facts, I do think Hayward gives a fine performance. All of her co-conspirators were adequately cast as well. I did find the musical score rather annoying. It's a kind of jazzy, bongo, neurotic mess. I guess it was used to help heighten the tension and discomfort of the audience - but I just found it annoying.
But regardless of what I saw of the technical merits or shortcomings of the film, I can't overlook the bottom line that the writers, director and producers decided to take the side of a despicable woman and try to make her look innocent - all for their own agenda of painting the death penalty as the true villain. I'm sorry, but the death penalty isn't who killed the poor widow Monohan.